Casket handle



1935- H. s. SCHOLL ET AL 2,923,211

CASKET HANDLE Filed April 25, 1954 frzz/crz 2 0725:

Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CASKET HANDLE Application April 23, 1934, Serial No. 721,846

3 Claims.

This invention relates to casket handles and more particularly it relates to handles providing a base member adapted to be rigidly fastened to the casket body and comprising a concealed 5 jointed connection from which a drop handle member is suspended.

Casket handles of the kind described provide combined mechanical and aesthetic utility since they are adapted both as carrying devices and to add ornateness to the casket. The finish and ornateness of such handles depend largely on the size, massiveness and finish of the base or plate members which range from relatively simple members used on inexpensive caskets to massive ornate members used on high-priced caskets.

Such base or plate members as hitherto constructed comprise a single member and obviously require a different set of dies for each member notwithstanding that the portion of each member providing a jointed connection for the handle member proper is similar to or identical with that of each of the others. The diesused in the manufacture of integral base members are necessarily expensive by reason of the intricacies of their jointed connections and the invention contemplates the use of relatively small base members of hard, tough metal adapted for mounting on any grade of casket to provide a jointed connection of the handle member and a separate finish plate adapted to substantially conceal the jointed connection and to provide the requisite ornateness in accordance with the grade of casket on which the handle is mounted. A single set of dies can thus be utilized in the manufacture 5 of the similar portions of the base member and individual dies may be provided forthe respective finish plates. Inasmuch as the individual dies of the various finish plates are relatively inexpensive, the provision of a separate base 40 member adapted to provide a mounting for any finish plate is conducive to economy in manufacture since the finish plate can be made of soft relatively inexpensive metal and cast or stamped of different thicknesses and designs. In casting 5 an occasional plate is unfit for use by reason of blow holes or other defects and has to be discarded and there is less waste in manufacture than would be the case if the entire casting had to be discarded. The separate finish plates,

50 whether cast or stamped, are so constructed as to provide a mounting for the same base member and the latter are thereby adapted to be selectively used with a large number of finish plates provided at a relatively low cost.

55 It is an object of the invention to provide an improved handle for caskets comprising a novel base or supporting member adapted to be fastened to any casket and suitable for operative engagement with any desired type of handle member proper; and which provides means adapt- 5 ing it for selective mounting on any one of a plurality of finish plates of different sizes and various designs, to substantially conceal the base or supporting member with which it cooperates.

Another object of the invention is the pro- 10 vision of improved details in a base or supporting member of the kind described and particularly improvements in the means whereby the supporting member is fastened to the wall of a casket. 15

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a casket handle of the kind described, which is simple and economical in construction, easily assembled, and satisfactory for its intended purpose. 20

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the description herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel 5 construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevated view of one form of the 30 device embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a View along the line 44 of Fig. 2, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the device comprises a finish plate 10, a pair 40 of base members I l projecting through the plate, and a pair of arms l2 suspended from the members II. The plate ID as shown is typical of any one of a plurality of plates formed by casting or the like, and may be of various lengths and widths and provide any ornamental design considered desirable.

The members ll each have their inner edges abutting a side wall M of a casket and are rigidly fastened in position by means of a bolt 28 in a manner hereinafter more particularly described.

The lower ends of each arm l2 have aligned apertures !8 in which a handle member I3 is mounted. The member l3 has ornate knobs l3a mounted on each end and detachably fastened by any suitable means, such as screws or the like, not shown. v

The base member H is hollow, provides an annular boss l9 extending around its outer periphery, and is bounded by a frusto-conical surface 20 converging inwardly from the boss. A pair of wedged shaped projections 2| on the surface 23 have their outer end faces 22 perpendicular to the axis of the member II and equally spaced from the boss l9 the spacing being equal to the thickness of the plate It). The plate l0 provides apertures each adapted to receive a base member H, each aperture being bounded by a bevelled face l6 formed to closely fit the surface 20. The plate H] has outer flanged edges I5 terminating in a plane coincident with the abutting end of the base member and adapted thereby to press against the casket wall l4 and to be held thereby against rotation relative to the member I I when the device is assembled and mounted on the casket.

Each of the apertures in the plate I0 is provided with a pair of recesses ll spaced similarly to the projections 2| and adapted to receive the latter. The described arrangement of the projections 2| and of the recesses H enables the plate H) to be mounted on the members H by first positioning the members with their projections in alignment with the recesses, then pushing the members through the plate as far as the boss l9 permits and then rotating the members II to the position shown in the drawing wherein the end faces 22 of the projections 2| press against the plate.

The arms |2 are each provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending web members 33, terminating at their upper ends in an inwardly projecting member 34 positioned in a recess 23 between a pair of ears 39 projecting outwardly from the member ll. Each arm [2 is pivotally mounted on the outer hooked end 32 of a bolt 28 in a manner whereby when the handle I3 is raised to operative position the edge 36 bears against abutment faces 35 on each side of the recess 23, and a shoulder 38 on each arm l2 abuts an outer edge face 31 of the member II. The bolts 28 are thereby placed under tension by the weight of the casket when suspended from the handles l2.

Each bolt 28 projects through an aperture 29 in the casket wall l4 and is anchored by a nut 3| and a.washer 30 adapted to resist the tensile pull on the bolt. The bolts 28 also extend through an aperture 25 in a boss 24 formed inside each member H. A collar 26 projecting inwardly from each boss 24 is adapted to be swedged into close fitting engagement with the bolt 28 and to thereby hold the'member II in contact with the casket wall M. The other ends of the bolts 28 are hooked and inclined upwardly, as shown, to locate the pivot points of the arms l2 at positions tending to minimize the pull on the bolt and wherein the upper ends of the. arms substantially close the open ends of the members when the handle is in suspended position. 7 v

The member H is shown in Fig. 3 in cooperative relation with a relatively thin plate or stamping 40. The plate 40 has an outer peripheral flange 4| adapted to contact the side wall I 4 of the casket and is provided with a pair of apertures adapted to receive the member [I in the same manner as described for the plate 10. Flanges 42 surrounding each aperture provide a close fit for the plate 40 between the boss expensive joint member.

l9 and the end faces 22 of the projections 2|. The flanges 42 are provided with recesses, not shown, similar in construction and arrangement to the recesses I1 shown in Fig. 4, and similarly adapted to receive the projections 2| whereby the members II are mounted on the plate 40 in the same manner as described for the plate l0. Obviously, by spacing the edges 22 of the projections 2| at a distance from the boss l9 equal to a selected maximum thickness of the finish plates and by providing all thinner plates with flanges which maintain the maximum thickness, the member H may be mounted as shown on any selected finish plate.

The finish plates may be made of any suitable metal either cast or stamped, and in the event the plates develop blow holes or other defects in manufacture, such defective plates may be discarded without the loss that would follow the discarding of an integral plate including. an Either cast plates or stampings may be selectively used as described and the projecting end of the member H is so constructed and finished that it is suitable for use with any finish plate.

Thus, it will be seen that we have provided an improved base member adapted for use with all grades of casket handles and suitable for selective mounting on any desired style or size of finish plate, whereby the cost of manufacture of any installation of handles is greatly reduced.

Having thus described our invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of our invention; hence we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What we claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

1. In a casket handle, a base member having one end adapted for abutting engagement with a casket body, means projecting from the other end of the member providing a jointed connection for a suspended arm, an annular boss on the outer periphery of the member intermediate its ends, said member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections formed thereon adjacent the boss, the end faces of the projections adjacent the boss being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member, a finish plate having an aperture in which the member is adapted to be inserted, the peripheral edge of the plate bounding said aperture having a thickness equal to the space between the boss and said projections, the peripheral edge surface being adapted to closely fit said member when the boss abuts the plate, said peripheral bounding surface of said aperture providing grooves adapted to receive the projections in the inserted member, said member being adapted thereby to be mounted on the plate and locked in position by slight relative rotation of the member and plate.

2. In a casket handle, a plurality of base members each having one end adapted for abutting engagement with a casket body and having means on its other end providing a jointed connection for a suspended arm, an annular boss on the outer periphery of each member intermediate its ends, the abutting ends of said members being bounded by a frusto-conical surface converging away from the boss and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections formed thereon, the end faces of the projections adjacent the boss being equally spaced therefrom and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member, a finish plate having an inclined flanged edge and providing apertures in which said members are adapted to be mounted, the thickness of the portions of the plate bounding said apertures being respectively equal to the space between the boss and said projections, the bounding surfaces of said apertures being adapted to closely fit the frusto-conical surface of the inserted member when the boss abuts said plate, said peripheral bounding surfaces each providing grooves adapted to receive the projections on the inserted member, said members being adapted thereby to be mounted on the plate and locked in position by slight relative rotation of the member and plate, and means adapted to fasten said members to the casket wall. The inner ends of said base members and the inner edge of the flange of said plate being so related when assembled that they all contact with the casket body when the assembly is mounted thereon.

3. In a casket handle, a base member having one end adapted for contact with the casket body, a fastening member extending through said base member with its outer end adapted to provide a jointed connection for an arm and its inner end providing means adapted to fasten the base member in close fitting contact with the casket body, a finish plate providing an aperture through which the base member is inserted, cooperating means on said base member and plate operable to fasten the plate against movement longitudinally'of the base member, said plate having an inwardly projecting peripheral flange adapted to contact with the casket body when the plate is mounted on the base member with said member in abutting relation to the casket body.

HARRY S. SCHOLL. RICHARD J. DONNELLY. 

